Boston Whaler 320 Outrage:
Rugged Offshore Comfort

On a day when most boaters stayed at the dock, we took the Boston Whaler 320 Outrage out and she showed us she could take on big water and smooth it out. On test day we had rain, wind, chop and cold. Nevertheless, she delivered comfort and protection. We tested her with twin 300-hp Mercury Verados, so come aboard and see how she performed.
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Boat Show

The New York Boat Show will be held this week starting on January 3rd and running through the 6th at the Javits Center. The BoatTEST team will be at the show doing reviews so if you see us, stop and say hello.
More show details here...

New Survey Video

Beneteau Swift 34:
We Survey “The Greatest Loop” Boat

We’ve been forthcoming regarding our opinion of the Swift 34 as a capable cruiser, but that was after looking at her “fresh from the factory”. What we were most curious to determine was how she holds up to the rigors of hard use. For that answer, we didn’t have to look far. One particular Swift 34 just completed a well publicized and grueling 6,500-mile cruise over 4 months with 12 different crews on the famed “Great Loop” around the Eastern U.S. What better way to see how this model holds up?
Let's start the inspection...

New Test Video

Chaparral 224 Sunesta:
Ready for Watersports Action

There are deckboats and there are bowriders, and Chaparral's 224 Sunesta blurs the line somewhat between the two. Her Wide Tech bow has a pickle-fork design which creates more room forward, but beneath the rail there is much more freeboard than found on a typical deckboat, and she's all V-bottom with an 18-degree deadrise at the transom. No need to question her watersports abilities -- as can be seen in the image above -- her stern is open and ready for action.
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New Test Video

Beneteau Sense 55:
Ease of
Sailing and Spacious Comfort

The Beneteau Sense 55 is like
the breath of fresh air that fills her sails. The cockpit features twin helm stations, all within reach of the primary winches. Her galley is larger than on most 75-footers. Aft, her teak beach speaks of a coastal cruising boat with an easily recognizable pedigree. Take a look at our latest video and see why the Beneteau name is so popular in the sailing world.
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Test Video

Intrepid 375 Center Console:
At the Head of Her Class

The Intrepid 375 Center Console was originally designed to replace the popular 370 CC with a boat that provide better comfort, styling, and the ability to handle the larger engines. What emerged is one of the coolest rides we’ve been on. She’s absolutely gorgeous, and handles like a dream - for some lucky boaters, a dream come true. Let's take a look...

Test Video

Prestige 620S:
A Compelling Luxury Yacht

With our test captain, the Prestige 60 was love at first sight. But he was soon swayed off course once he got a taste of the newer Prestige 620S. The 620S is a natural evolution of the popular Prestige 60 with a redesigned flying bridge that saves nearly 1,000 lbs (454 kg) over the 60, and permits the addition of a sunroof in the forward salon. With a pair of IPS900 engines she not only has a solid feel while underway, but precision maneuverability at the dock. More...

New Test Video

Sylvan Mirage 8522:
Tested with Evinrude E-TEC 150

Our time onboard the Sylvan Mirage 8522 showed her to be a comfortable boat in a brisk chop and forgiving in sloppy conditions generated by 20-mph winds. It is not often we test boats in winds that high, but with her Revolutionary Planing Technology (RPT) tubes we stayed comfortable and dry at speed.
Let’s take a look at the full test and review video...

Test Video

Sea Ray 370 Venture:
43.7 MPH WOT with 600-hp

Sea Ray has recently launched an entirely new venture, literally. She's called the 370 Venture and she not only has the largest mid cabin in class, but she's powered by twin outboard engines concealed in her stern. It's a clever setup and one that begs for a sea trial. So we climbed aboard to do what we do… test her performance.
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New Captain's Report

Crownline E2:
High Dock Appeal and Loaded

At a recent in-water boat show we were struck with the remarkable dock appeal of the Crownline E2, so naturally we are passing along what we discovered. After drilling down we were impressed by the standard features list and the hardware and equipment used in the base-boat build. It all reminds us a bit of the Avis Rent-A-Car slogan of yesteryear -- "We Try Harder." It looks to us as if that is what Crownline is doing, and it has gotten our attention.
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Details Video

Evinrude E-TEC 115:
Features Affecting
the Boating Experience

We could get into some heavy technicalities with the Evinrude E-TEC 115 but most of these advances mean nothing to the average boater. Today, we do a video test and review of this little powerhouse, and also go over the features that have a direct impact on boaters and the boating experience. What gives it the economy? How can it have no break-in period? How can it continue running without oil? And how can Evinrude require no maintenance until 300 hours? Sounds like issues that boaters care about to us. Let’s take a look. More...

Opportunity

BoatTEST.com
Captain Search

If you are a USCG licensed 100 ton boat captain and think you have the skills to be a BoatTEST.com test captain, then we would like to hear from you. Please prepare a three to four minute edited boat test video using our format on a model of your choice. You may submit this video electronically or mail us a disc. Please ensure the video is in a QuickTime format and send to the attention of Christopher Hughes, chrishughes@boattest.com.

Start the New Year Right

BoatTEST.com’s
4-DVD Box Set
Boating Course

Based on the feedback we’ve been getting about BoatTEST.com's Boating Course it’s clearly not only for beginners, but for veteran boaters as well. Perhaps that is why the NMMA started promoting the course after just one look. It's the most complete boating video course available.
Order here...

Lesson of the Week

The Basics:
How to Anchor A Boat

This week Captain Steve will go over nine short videos and guidelines on the different types of anchors and anchoring procedures. Learn about how to select a good spot to anchor, how to correctly set an anchor, and the step-by-step process to ensure the anchor is secured to the bottom. The videos presented this week are part of BoatTEST.com’s Boating Course which is USCG-approved. Watch these video boating lessons every week on BoatTEST.com.

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